# Cigars, Sickness, and Blood Sugar



## DjShift (May 23, 2015)

Any other diabetics on here that still smoke cigars? 

I'm not a daily smoker, I know I shouldn't be one with my current health situations. But I do really enjoy a nice cigar every once in a while. 

I also haven't smoked for long enough to know which cigars are gonna be too strong for me until I'm already smoking it either. 

So not too long ago I was enjoying a Romeo Y Julieta Havoc and I probably only got like 1/4 of the way done with it when I got really lightheaded, shaky, and felt sick. Had to sit down for a while too so I wouldn't pass out.

Now, I do see other people talking about this happening quite often on this site so I know it isn't just me but what exactly does cause this symptom? I keep seeing people say to eat before smoking and how a sugary drink will fix these symptoms but why? Since being diagnosed with diabetes, I've had more than one doctor say smoking will raise blood sugars and is even worse for diabetics than it already is for non-diabetics but it really does feel like the complete opposite when it's happening. Those symptoms are actually identical to how a low blood sugar would feel. And every time I smoke my blood sugar is always lower at my next meal (although I also tend to smoke while away from home and don't eat a lot anyways). 

So have the doctors been wrong and nicotine lowers blood sugar? Or is it unrelated but feels similar? Anyone know more about what makes people feel sick with stronger cigars?


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

I'm Type 2 Diabetic and have been for the last 16 years. Not everybody is alike when it comes to our metabolism and sugar is the component that drives the numbers. Nicotine elevates our sugars but it isn't the same for everybody and the "sick" feeling we get from cigars ( usually full bodied ) is the concentration of all that nicotine into the bloodstream that will cause our sugars to rise. There will be some diabetics that don't fit the profile but that's a small percentage....don't confuse one persons low sugars to what's normal...it isn't. There is inherent risk for us Type 2 Diabetics when we ingest nicotine and for those who are on insulin we can counter the rise in sugars by injecting short acting insulin after having a cigar or right before to counter that rise.

I tend to want to warn anybody with health issues to discuss them with your Doctor and once you have ALL the facts then it's up to you to address how you want to proceed. Let's not "play doctor" when it concerns things like Diabetes and tell others that it's ok to smoke and drink just because it affects one differently where their sugars don't spike. 

The Doctors don't have it wrong....it's wise to think through risks and then proceed in a manner where you can still enjoy a cigar and not sit there all anxious ridden just because you had one. Using your meter before smoking and after will give you all the information you need...if your sugars are high...don't smoke..it's that simple.


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## greenmonster714 (Jun 9, 2016)

Light headed, shaky, and all around sick feelings sound just like toooo much nicotine intake. I have had nicotine sickness using electronic cigarette devices and it is a awful awful feeling and what you are describing sounds just like it. Not sure if your puffing on the stick to much/fast or what. If your sucking on it like a Hoover upright maybe ya should slow down a bit...lol. Or maybe it could be the fact you just don't smoke very often. Perhaps when you purchase a cigar you should seek out the mild ones and stick with them for a while. I was completely off nicotine for about a year before I started on the cigars. I was worried about the nicotine sickness but found that it was not a problem at all. I just took my time and puffed at it very slowly. Thankfully it turned out to be a pleasant experience.

I am a diabetic and I have a lot of issues with heart disease. Nicotine is a concern. We all know it does constrict blood vessels which is not good for the heart OR the diabetic patient. There's probably not a doctor on the planet that would encourage folks with our issues to use tobacco in any way. However, in moderation I see nothing wrong with it but that's me making a life decision for me.


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## CritterBuddy (May 10, 2015)

This is not medical advise - please consult with your doctor.

I don't know if my diabetes and heart problems causes me to have nicotine sickness or not. I do as recommended above of eating before, sugary drink, etc. but I've also moved mostly to mild to medium cigars now which helps. I still smoke a full bodied one on occasion but am always careful and very watchful when I do. If I feel the nicotine kicking my &ss too much, even with a medium cigar, then I stop as I know if I continue on I will just get worse and that is not fun. Sucks but at least for me it works for now.


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## DjShift (May 23, 2015)

So the doctors were right then, odd. 

Well I'm a type 1 insulin dependent diabetic and I guess my diabetes has been different from most ever since I caught it. The doctors have even been confused with some of my backwards symptoms of high and low blood sugars. Guess this is another one of those situations for me. 

Every time I've smoked (a cigar) so far though, the nicotine has always caused quite a drop in my blood sugars. I'd go as far as to say it's a drop that even insulin can't compare to. Like yesterday before smoking I was at 150 but two hours after I had to drive home with it at 55. 

But I guess here's the question I was wondering; if for most people smoking does the opposite and raised blood sugars, how come everyone recommends to have a sugary drink or food if you get the sickness from smoking one? Especially if it's a normal diabetic reading that wouldn't it be kinda counterproductive to their health?


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## DjShift (May 23, 2015)

So... I tested it yesterday to find out what was going on by smoking what I believe was a pretty mild cigar, a Montecristo Platinum. I don't know what causes what I mentioned but I don't think it's nicotine poisoning now cause it still happened with this small cigar. It's like, a few minutes after I'm done with it I just get dizzy, hungry, and it kinda feels like what weed did when I used to smoke that. And my vision gets pretty blurry for a few minutes. But there are only two things I can think of that might be causing it. Either it happens when I get the smoke in my eyes or it happens cause I tend to literally keep going until the cigar is burning my lips and I'm at the cap. 

But this time I can confirm it wasn't my blood sugars cause I was at 150 while this was going on.


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## Kemetek1 (Aug 20, 2015)

I'm diabetic as well and what I would suggest you try is drinking a lot of water while you are smoking and see if that helps. It still sounds like the nicotine blast though. If you're going to continue to smoke cigars keep searching for a very mild one that you enjoy. I smoke very strong cigars and have found that water helps.


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## DjShift (May 23, 2015)

There's the hard part though, I bought hundreds of cigars before I even figured out there were weak and strong ones. I'm sure if I smoke em all I'll find quite a few weak ones I love but it'll mean going through the strong ones too. 

In the past there have been some I couldn't finish in one sitting so I saved the other half though. Will probably do that with some of the too strong huge ones. Although by the time I get to that hopefully my tolerance will be up.


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## bluenote75 (Jun 13, 2014)

I can't speak to blood sugar or diabetes, but I know whenever I have a Padron 1964, I always get sick after. I love the cigar, but it packs a wallop. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I tried another but this time I really took my time, especially with the draw. Took a really slow draw and not as long. After the cigar, I wasn't sick! I was very happy with this. 

Perhaps give that a shot?


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## DjShift (May 23, 2015)

bluenote75 said:


> I can't speak to blood sugar or diabetes, but I know whenever I have a Padron 1964, I always get sick after. I love the cigar, but it packs a wallop. Then, a couple of weeks ago, I tried another but this time I really took my time, especially with the draw. Took a really slow draw and not as long. After the cigar, I wasn't sick! I was very happy with this.
> 
> Perhaps give that a shot?


Just tried it out with a Royal Danish Extra Strong Double Ligero and it worked! Didn't get sick or dizzy or anything. Although I do feel like it wasted a lot, at least I was able to enjoy it without the weird feeling symptoms.

At least I hope it worked. Either that or the Double Ligero is weaker than a Montecristo Platinum. I don't know what the strong strains are. Or the cigar was clogged.

One of the three but it was a good cigar!


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